Constellation Middle School in Long Beach to close

LONG BEACH - Constellation Middle School, Long Beach's oldest public charter school, will be closing its doors at the end of this month after running out of funding.

In a letter to parents dated March 29, school officials said they made the decision to close Constellation due to low enrollment and cuts in state funding. The decision was made by the school's six-member Board of Directors on March 28.

"We will be running out of money at the end of next month," the letter said. "Due to this severe funding crisis Constellation cannot continue to operate and there will be no third trimester."

The school has about 100 students and is now working with the Long Beach Unified School District to place the Constellation students together in self-contained classes on the Franklin Middle School campus.

Parents are being asked to list first, second and third choices for alternate schools for their children. The Constellation students, who are all currently on spring break, are expected to begin at their respective schools on April 16.

The letter on the school's website was signed by both Board President Carol Craver and Executive Director Daphne Ching-Jackson.

Located in a small rented wing on the St. Anthony High School campus at 620 North Olive Ave., Constellation was established under the Charter Schools Act of 1992 as the first public charter school in Long Beach. The school's charter petition was approved by the Long Beach Unified Board of Education in 1994.

Constellation isn't the only Long Beach charter school facing financial problems this year.

In February, the Board of Directors for New City Public Schools, a K-12 charter school system of more than 500 students with campuses at 1637 Long Beach Blvd. and 1230 Pine Ave., voted to close its small high school called Colegio New City at the end of this school year due to low enrollment and lack of state funding.

Founded four years ago, the high school has about 86 students and will celebrate its first graduating class in May. Colegio students have been holding fundraisers with the hopes of raising enough funds to keep the school open.